Hedgehog Technologies Earns ACEC National Award for Safety Innovation at BCIT

Seeing our work for the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) recognized at the 2026 ACEC National Awards means a lot to our team.

Our laboratory safety standardization work received an Award of Excellence in the Innovation and Technical Advancement category. The recognition celebrates our use of engineering expertise and artificial intelligence to support safety management across BCIT’s School of Energy.

Engineering safety at scale

BCIT’s School of Energy includes laboratories, workshops and classrooms where students, faculty and staff work with sophisticated mechanical, electrical and energy systems.

Using Safe Lens AI, a tool we developed in-house, our team assessed:

• 97 laboratories and workshops
• 10 buildings
• More than 9,200 individual assets

Our work brought together information about assets, locations, hazards, photographic evidence and safety requirements. This structured approach turned inspection findings into actionable data, supporting BCIT’s commitment to consistent, proactive safety management.

From inspection findings to practical action

Safe Lens AI combines digital inspection tools with our engineering expertise to support how safety risks are identified, documented and managed.

Through a mobile application, inspection teams can capture information directly in the field and connect findings to specific assets and locations. Bringing that information together creates a centralized view that supports review, prioritization and follow-up.

For BCIT, this means inspection findings can inform broader planning and practical decisions across its learning environments.

Supporting people, learning and innovation

This project reflects what drives us at Hedgehog: turning complex challenges into practical solutions that put people first.

Building on BCIT’s commitment to safety and innovation, we’re helping support environments where students and staff can learn, work and innovate with confidence. The project also demonstrates how engineering expertise and digital tools can work together in the spaces where future industry professionals develop their skills.

That contribution aligns with BCIT’s vision of empowering people, shaping BC and inspiring global progress.

Connecting with Canada’s engineering leaders in Ottawa

Our team also travelled to Ottawa for a series of engaging events with Canada’s engineering leaders. The visit offered opportunities to connect with peers, exchange ideas and celebrate the work taking place across Canada’s consulting engineering community.

Seeing our work recognized alongside the contributions of others in the profession made the experience especially meaningful for our team.

Thank you to BCIT for your trust and collaboration, to our team for the care and expertise behind this project, and to ACEC-Canada for recognizing this work.